Fuzzy grey relational analysis of design factors influencing on maintainability indices

Maintainability is a design attribute of a product, and its relationship with the design factors is complicated. In consideration of the fuzziness and uncertainty of design factors that influences the product's maintainability indices, we propose a method based on fuzzy grey relational analysis to determine their prioritization in this paper. First, the evaluation methods of various design factors and how these factors affect product maintainability indices are analyzed. Then, the fuzzy grey relational analysis model of the relationship between the design factors and maintainability indices is set up, and the prioritization of design factors to maintainability indices is achieved. Finally, the proposed methods are applied on a subsystem of a manned spacecraft, which indicates that the proposed method can quantitatively analyze the influencing degree of the design factors to maintainability indices. This information can be used to guide maintainability indices evaluation modeling based on digital mock-up in the design phase and help to catch the major influencing design factors in maintainability design.